Brno WorldSBK test: Lowes gains front-end confidence

Pata Yamaha’s Alex Lowes spent two days at the Brno WorldSBK test focusing on more feel from the front end of his R1 and he came away with more confidence in the setup.

It has been the area where the Derby-based rider has felt least at home but now Lowes says he can trail brake deep into turns, which will give him an extra gun in the armoury.

“The second day was really good, we made some steps with the bike, especially with the front forks. It gave me a lot more confidence when trail braking into a corner. The conditions were a bit colder, so the lap times were a bit better anyway, but we made quite a big chunk,” said Lowes.

“We did another race simulation today and it felt good, so it is all positive. We still need to work a little bit on mid-corner feel and corner exit but overall, it was quite a good test. The weather was a bit hit and miss with the wind and rain but we still managed to get quite a bit done, so we are happy.”